Team Herald
MARGAO: South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar assured the villagers of Cansaulim all his support in the battle against Competent Hotel at Arossim.
It maybe recalled that the Cansaulim gram sabha along with Environment Minister and Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha had passed a resolution opposing the project.
A delegation of Cansaulim villagers led by Saldanha met Sawaikar at his Ponda office to express their displeasure with the decisions of various Goa government and Central Government departments giving NOC or permissions in favour of builders of proposed Competent Hotels Ms Maruti.Suzuki dealers New Delhi.
The villagers recalled that the entire Cansaulim panchayat body and gram sabha on various occasions had unanimously resolved that the villagers do not want a mega hotel to be built on their pristine beaches, as it would destroy the sand dunes and the singular ecosystem existing in a highly eco fragile area.
The delegation explained various drawbacks for the whole village if the hotel comes in that area, as the rainwater of the village is discharged into the sea through 3 ‘Handdis’ (rainstorm channels) existing in the proposed building area besides the existence of 6 water bodies and low lying fields serving as a water reservoirs for nearby paddy fields. Any change in water discharge system in this area would surely bring flooding to various localities of the village, the panel pointed.
It was brought to the notice of the MP that there exists only one access road of 3.5 meters width although TCP has approved and signed plans where it shows ‘existing access 10 m. Wide.’ This was proved to TCP authorities during the inspection but yet the NOC was not withdrawn.
The non existing infrastructure of the village, which does not receive uninterrupted water, electricity and has no garbage disposal programme was also highlighted.
Sawaikar assured the delegation that the villagers could count on him in their just demand and that he would be at the forefront of the battle against the proposed ‘Competent Hotel’ at Arossim beach.
